Etymology
The word "halogen" comes from the Greek words "hals," meaning "salt," and "genes," meaning "to produce." This is because halogens are highly reactive nonmetals that readily form salts with metals.
Meaning and Origin
Halogens are a group of five nonmetallic elements located in Group 17 of the periodic table: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At). They are characterized by their high reactivity, particularly with metals, and their ability to form salts.
Halogens are highly electronegative, meaning they have a strong attraction for electrons. This makes them powerful oxidizing agents, which means they tend to accept electrons from other atoms or molecules. When halogens react with metals, they form ionic compounds called halides.
The halogens were first discovered in the 18th century. Chlorine was discovered by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1774, bromine by the German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1825, and iodine by the French chemist Bernard Courtois in 1811. Fluorine and astatine were discovered much later. Fluorine was isolated by the French chemist Henri Moissan in 1886, and astatine was first synthesized in 1940 by the American chemists Dale Corson, Kenneth Ross MacKenzie, and Emilio Segrè.
Halogens are essential for life on Earth. Chlorine is used to disinfect water and swimming pools, and iodine is used as an antiseptic and in the production of thyroid hormones. Fluoride is added to toothpaste and drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Bromine is used in fire retardants and in the production of photographic film. Astatine is a radioactive element with no known practical uses.
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